School Visits STT

Lynne: You know that is Memorial Day weekend. The schools will be open only on Tuesday and Wednesday. Have you applied for your VI PT license yet? It is a lengthy process.

yes i know it is a long weekend. We wqnt to explore the island on the weekend and have interviews at 2 schools on Tues. Calls to make to 2 for Wed. I got the names of Sibley and Peace Corps from Islander in an earlier post. Just wondering if any others were better for a 5th grader. I am contracted by a company that services the VI better money and benefits that way. I have my PT license in US, that is ok with them. Thanks for any advice.
Unfortunately this is the only time before we would make the move Aug 15 I can pull my son out of school. I figured 5 days are better than nothing.
Lynne

Lynne,

My kids go to Peace Corps School. It is a good school. Things on island are different so it is hard to say how it compares to the mainland schools. They enjoy it and I have found that they are improving in all their studies. Their teachers are excellent and I have few negative comments. The one thing that stands out as needing improvement is the students lack of self control. My son's former school in the states kept order very well. Here the kids run from the classroom and tend to spill out into the parking lot without much care for their own safety. We all look out for the kids, but I rather like having them standing in lines to board the bus or to be picked up. Maybe that is strict, but it is for safety reasons. I make sure I emphasize the 'rules' with my kids, but wish that all the kids had to behave more orderly. But really, overall I have no major complaints of the school. I have not attended PTA meetings (which the school really promotes) and should attend before running my mouth on how things should work. Good luck on your visit and hope everything turns out the way you want it too. Life on island is very different from life that I knew on the mainland and hard to adjust too, but I wouldn't trade it right now.

Teresa

Hi teresa,
thanks for the input. Glad I got a 2nd opinion on the Peace Corps school. My son's teacher did 1 years at St Peter and Paul many years ago to finish her Master's in reading. She going to write up a little blurp about him and give me a copy of his last report card to bring to the schools. i am looking at that one All Saints, Sibley, and Peace Corps. I plan to live whereever he likes school better, do they district the schools by where you live like the states?? I would be covering the island with one other person so going to most public schools during the week. I feel it is more important that he is comfortable with the schools. I am the type of person who could adjust to living in a paper box long as I can go to the beach.
We are staying at the Crystal Palace. Ronnie has been very accomodating.
Thanks for your help.
Lynne

Lynne,

Actually we were living in Frenchman's Bay when they enrolled the kids in Peace Corps (which is in Mandahl). Now we live in Mandahl which is closer for us and it all worked out well. I don't actually know how they decide which school the kids go to, but they won't overfill a class. So, it might depend on which school has availability. You will need to go to the Curriculum Center in the Country to enroll in public school and talk to them about which school you want to put your child. Their number is 340-775-2250. They will give you a list of things you need to bring to enroll your child. One of which is a blue slip that you get from the Department of Health. You just need to bring an immunization record of your child to the clinic at the hospital. My children had to have a TB test. In the states they didn't require it. Then they will give you a blue slip when you have met all the requirements. You take that, birth certificate, etc. to the Curriculum Centerto enroll. There are several public elementary schools, I don't know of all of them, but besides Sibilly and Peace Corps, there is Lockhart Elementary in Estate Thomas. It looks a lot like Peace Corps and the uniforms are similar, but I am only judging it by it's cover. I don't know anyone who has children that go there, but it looks nice. Well, good luck and enjoy your stay at Crystal Palace. From this board, Travelwoman stayed there recently and loved it.

Teresa

I have a friend who teaches at Lockhart by the Sugar Estate Post Office. She says it is one of the better schools. You are looking at public schools, right?

All Saints is private. If you are looking at private schools, I suggest Montessori. They have a website www.vimontessori.com.

Lynne: Richards may be fine with your stateside license, but the Board of Licensure here won't be! Call Mary Wick: 340-776-7667. She is the head of the PT board. 🙂

Thanks for all the info. I will look into both the schools and the license areas. I hope there is some kind of resprocity sp?? like in the US. I will only be there for 10 months. Someday I would like to live full time but I have a father who is barely agreeing to 10 months right now!

Lynne, I'm working on my PT license application now... you'll need an application form, Exam test scores, School transcripts, 2 letters of recommendation, chronological account of work, photo, notarized statement re: no addictions, endorsement letters from every state you've ever held a license... I took a 2 week breather from it and will start again tonight. Hope the internet can speed up some of this for you before your school job starts!

Lynne: I am glad Cathy chimed in (Thanks, Cathy!) It is quite a process, no reciprocity. 🙂

Cathy

thanks I will start to check when I get down there. I am actually a PTA so I hope it is not that hard. Are you working directly for STT schols or thru an agency??

A wannabe VI resident in the next few months to a year... waiting for the guts to leave great co-workers, patients and Colorado for the right job (ortho and chronic illness/pain). I never believed I could love 2 places at the same time!

Hi Lynne,
My girls both attend Sibilly School (Grades 2 and 5). I think the school has been a good experience for them. They also attended Peace Corps for a month while waiting for a space to open at Sibilly. Coming from CT, STT has been a big, welcome change. Ronnie also helped us out BIG TIME when we moved here last August. I am the Technology Coordinator at Charlotte Amalie High School (Check out our new school website- www.cahsvi.com) and my husband has started his own gardening business here. Good luck with your school search. I'm thrilled to read all the positive posts about the public schools!
Suzanne